It is my sad duty to post the passing of Dan McCafferty. Dan was the lead singer in the Scottish hard rock band, Nazareth, who were well known throughout the 1970s. The irony is that when I wrote my chapter “Tee-Bone Man and Superdekes’ Time Travelling Adventure,” I stated that when those in Rock and Roll Heaven decided to create heavy metal, the album “Hair of the Dog” was used as a blueprint. I still and always will believe that. The album also spawned Nazareth’s best known song, “Love Hurts.”
When I wrote “Tee-Bone Man and Superdeke’s Time Travelling Adventure” for Mike Ladano’s blog, the biggest challenge in discipline for me was not to get totally carried away with all the possible collaborations between musicians who have left us. It doesn’t take too much smarts to realize that the possibilities are endless and I could have filled many pages with them and that’s just the ones I would like to see!
Lemmy
First, I am quite convinced that every deceased musician would love to sing or play with the King, Elvis and that includes Lemmy. It would be an interesting song, that part’s for sure. Of course Lemmy wouldn’t be left out as many would like to get him to play bass on their song or sing with them and I’m not just talking about metal musicians. Why couldn’t he lay down a bass line for Jim Morrison or Janis Joplin? Then we can take it to the complete other extreme and have Lemmy do a song with Whitney Houston. Why not?
One combination I mention in the story would almost certainly happen. I firmly believe that Ronnie James Dio would have hooked up with former bandmates from Rainbow and the connection of that band to Deep Purple and Black Sabbath and formed a band with Jimmy Bain on bass, Jon Lord on keyboards and Cozy Powell on drums. Furthermore, I stand by my choice for guitar in the group as I strongly feel that Criss Oliva of Savatage fame would be the best fit for the above combo. Of course, you are all welcome to put forward alternatives.
The Fab Four
The Who
One combination which I thought of putting into the story but didn’t was a collaboration of the two deceased Beatles and two deceased members of The Who. John Lennon and George Harrison on guitars, John Entwistle on bass and Keith Moon on drums might be something to hear. We can even make it more interesting by throwing in the two deceased members of The Rolling Stones. Then again, we can get Brian Jones and Charlie Watts to play along with the two dead Doors! Like I said, the possibilities are endless!
The teacher in me has now taken over and so, here’s your assignment. Put together your own bands, duets or collaborations of deceased musicians and post them here! There are no right or wrong answers. Maybe the Righteous Brothers song I featured last week can motivate. After all, they have a point: “If there’s a rock and roll heaven, you know they’ve got a hell of a band.”
Special thanks goes out to 2loud for this album. If he hadn’t written a post on “Gems,” I most likely still wouldn’t have heard of it. I blame it on the fact that by November, 1988, I was settling into family life in the UK, with my first born very much on the way. Therefore, I couldn’t give music my full or even half full attention. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. Of course, the other reason why it passed me by was that “Gems” is a compilation album put forward by Aerosmith’s old label, Columbia Records who still could make a few bucks out of the band and my trips to record stores by then were almost non existent, so unless it was a big album, it most certainly passed me by.
The saying ‘better late than never’ applies to this as I am glad that, inspired by 2loud’s post, I sat down and listened to it and boy was I impressed! As you know, I always site hidden gems on any album I write about and here we have an entire album full of them. What is more, I can’t help thinking that the tracks were cleaned up a bit before being put on the album. Take “No Surprise” for instance. It comes from the “Night in the Ruts” album which I have always considered to be a total dirge. However, on “Gems,” it sounds really clear and now I fully appreciate the track much more than on the original album. Even the two tracks from my all time favourite ‘Smith album, “Toys in the Attic,” seem to sound better and that’s a feat in itself. Here’s another paradox which is me, “Round and Round” is the penultimate track on my favourite album but I don’t mind the fact that it’s not picked for the job on “Gems.”
I think what “Gems” achieves is showcase how great Aerosmith’s songs can be once you get past the hits. None of the songs from the 1980 “Greatest Hits” album are on this album and that’s a good thing. In addition, you get a lot of the songs from the earlier albums, when the band was still hungry and they hadn’t made the transition from musicians dabbling in drugs to druggies dabbling in music. “Mama Kin” is the best example of this. I forgot how great those opening riffs are. However, even the songs from the albums after the transition sound really great. “No Surprise” has already been mentioned but there seems to be a different swagger to “Jailbait” off “Rock in a Hard Place.”
One song, “Chip Away the Stone” from the “Live Bootleg” album is included in the tracks, so Columbia Records didn’t leave any stone unturned when looking for the gems. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, they chose all the right tracks for “Gems.” While this album was most likely meant for the hardcore Aerosmith fans, I think casual fans would appreciate it too.
Track Listing:
Rats in the Cellar
Lick and a Promise
Chip Away the Stone
No Surprise
Mama Kin
Adam’s Apple
Nobody’s Fault
Round and Round
Critical Mass
Lord of the Thighs
Jailbait
Train Kept a Rollin’
Aerosmith
Steve Tyler- vocals, harmonica, piano
Joe Perry- lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Brad Whitford- rhythm and lead guitar
Tom Hamilton- bass
Joey Kramer- drums, percussion
Additional Musicians:
Jimmy Crespo- lead guitar on “Jailbait”
Rick Dufay- rhythm guitar on “Jailbait”
David Woodford- saxophone
Richard Supa- piano
Mark Radice- piano on “Chip Away the Stone”
My thanks once again goes out to 2loud for turning me on to a great album. “Gems” is definitely that, full of great but not overplayed Aerosmith classics. I can’t recall them playing any of these at Download 2017 but no matter, I got this great album.
Next post: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts- Up Your Alley
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
My excuse of being in Britain at the time is why I am posting Rush’s 1987, “Hold Your Fire,” album for 1988. I didn’t hear about this album until 1988, although I might have heard about it sooner if I hadn’t lost touch with two UK friends who are big Rush fans. Oh, I see both of them on Facebook now and they will probably both put in their two penneth on this post.
Reading a little history, I am rather perplexed as to why some ‘critics’ said that synthesizers were overused. The two Rush albums previous to “Hold Your Fire” were more synth pop in my not so humble opinion. If anything, I think this album was made ten years too late. It would have been right at home among all the great progressive rock bands from the 1970s as I find this a great offering of some cool progressive rock. Okay, there aren’t the power chords of some of the more hard rock Rush albums but Alex’s guitar is plain to hear. He does some good riffs, take “Time Stand Still” for instance but the one thing which comes to my mind on “Time Stands Still” is Geddy Lee. We all know his singing and songwriting capabilities and many will praise his keyboards skills, I do. What only Rush fans realize is that Geddy plays bass and his skills on that instrument seemed to be forgotten. Not me, Geddy, nor any dedicated Rush fans but I do like his bass line on this track and on “Open Secrets.” Oh yes, I better mention that til Tuesday singer and bassist Aimee Mann lends her voice to the track and it works very well.
The entire album is one cool progressive rock jam. Even though the intro of the opener, “Force Ten,” wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a metal album, the prog rock shines through and continues on. However, there is a standout track and that happens to be “Prime Mover.” The guitar on the intro is one of those which has me fist pumping the air. Hell, turn up the guitar and you have a great metal song. Again, Lee’s not talked about much bass playing is just as prominent on the song. Like so many Rush fans, I always knew he could lay down a cool bassline. Furthermore, the song has a catchy melody which sounds like typical Rush and Geddy unleashes his skills on the keyboards here. Now some of you are probably asking, “What about Neil?” Well, he does what he always does and pounds the skins very well. Though there are some interesting drum fills on “Prime Mover.”
If I had to pick a track which could be called ‘filler,’ it would have to be “Tai Shan.” It’s an attempt, Alex used that exact word in a 2012 interview with “Total Guitar” to experiment using classical Chinese music. He also called the song, ‘corny.’ I wouldn’t go that far and I don’t think it’s a bad song, it’s just not as good as the other nine. Speaking of Alex, I just wish he soloed more on the album, that’s all. His only solos come on “Mission,” “Turn the Page” and the closer, “High Water.” The solos are quite good but it’s Neil’s drumming that really shines through on “Mission.
Track Listing:
Force Ten
Time Stands Still
Open Secrets
Second Nature
Prime Mover
Lock and Key
Mission
Turn the Page
Tai Shan
High Water
Rush
Geddy Lee- lead vocals, bass, synthesizer
Alex Liefson- guitar
Neil Peart- drums, percussion
Additional Musicians:
Aimee Mann- accompanying lead vocals on “Time Stand Still,” backing vocals on “Tai Shan,” “Primer Mover” and “Open Secrets”
Andy Richards- additional keyboards, synthesizer programming
I am with those in the cult status who regard “Hold Your Fire” with great esteem. I much prefer this to their previous two albums but like I said at the beginning, it might have been more accepted if it had come out ten years earlier.
Next post: Van Halen- OU812
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmal.com
After all of the great feedback and all the fun I had writing a joint post with 2loud2old, I would be happy to write joint posts with many of you in the future. It doesn’t even have to be two person post adventure and I’m sure many of us here could put our heads together and write a joint post. Posts could be ranking a band’s albums, ranking musicians or anything really, the sky’s the limit!
The only issue is that I would like to keep these type of posts spaced out as I am totally committed to the tour of heavy metal’s golden decade. Actually, I’m closer to the end as I am now well into 1988 and there’s only 89 left. However, it was never my intention that when I posted the final album of 1989, to end 80smetalman. You don’t get rid of me that easy! While I might cut down the frequency of the posts after that, I would still be open to ideas and joint posts would be one of them. Although, we could still write some along the way.
One point which I must absolutely insist on is that any joint post involving Savatage, Mike has to be included. He’s a big Tage fan as much as I am. Other than that, the sky is the limit.
I did something stupid yesterday. I had CD1 of the above three CD compilation album in my car, listening to it on my way to and from work. When I got home, I put it into my back pocket to put away but guess what? Yes, sh*t for brains here forgot to take the CD out of his pocket. I only noticed it last night when I took Mrs. 80smetalman out for dinner and went to pay. When I reached for the wallet, I also found the CD and when I took it out, it was broken beyond hope. Yep, I acknowledge it was stupid.
Here’s my question: Is there any way I could just get CD1? I don’t want to buy it again when the CD’s two and three are working fine. Besides, the album was a birthday present from my daughter five years ago, therefore, it has sentimental value. If not, some great songs like Dokken’s “Alone Again,” the famous “Beth” by KISS, “Silent Lucidity” from Queensryche will be lost. Plus, there are songs from Damn Yankees, Free and a rather predictable one from Foreigner.
The world is morning the passing of Olivia Newton-John. She was a great singer, actress, entertainer and few other things rolled into one. Back in the 1970s, her music was more country leaning, crossing over to mellow out rock. In 1978, she made her film debut as Sandra in the film “Grease,” one of the top grossing films of all time. It’s not my favourite film but I fully applauded her in it. It was after “Grease” that she caught my attention with her album, “Totally Hot.” Olivia decided to shed her goody two shoes image and this album went more rock. It’s the only album of hers I posted here and you can read it below.
If you read the comments in the post, you will see that I was accused of being misogynist because I went back to my then 17 year old self when the album came out and remembered that Olivia had put on a little weight after “Grease” and looked good for it. I did apologize to the commenter for my crystal ball not working. If I had known when I wrote the post in 2012 that I would cause offense in 2021, I wouldn’t have commented on her weight. Whatever the case, a true musical legend has left us and gone to the great gig in the sky and let us remember her for that. This is my all time favourite ONJ song.
I can’t totally blame being in England for missing Kansas’s 1988 album, “In the Spirit of Things” because I was still in the States when I missed their previous album, “Power” and only had a vague knowledge of the one before that one. Like so many, my Kansas memories were stuck in the 1970s with such classics as “Leftoverture,” “Monolith” and “Point of Know Return.” While those albums were huge for the band, I think this one can stand right up there with them. It’s that good.
Two theories from me as to why “In the Sprit of Things” tanked commercially, both of which are related to changes from the 1970s to the 80s. Back in the 70s, bands didn’t need to have a great hit single to become known. Look at Frank Zappa. I even remember hearing an interview with Kansas saying that they would probably only have two or three hit singles but the 70s albums I mentioned were all listened to by many. I had a friend who was a big Kansas fan. Anyway, in the 1980s, unless you were a metal band, no hit single usually meant no notice from the public.
The other reason was that by 1988, music was essentially dumbed down and put into neat little categories making it difficult for great progressive rock bands like Kansas. In the 70s, people weren’t quick to pigeon hole bands and just accepted bands like Kansas for the music they made. Sure, there was progressive rock, mixed with some very hard rock and other musical fluctuations as well, but that was no longer acceptable in the 80s. In the case of Kansas, the hard guitars made some people think they were metal while the keyboards made others think they were some trendy top 40 band, which they weren’t. For me, it’s a shame because once you get past the pigeon-holing, you get a great album.
Opener track, “Ghosts,” is what Kansas has done so successfully over the years. It starts as a progressive rock ballad, then goes more mainstream progressive before Steve Morse’s guitar kicks in and he lays down a cool solo. It opens the album with great promise. They do go more 80s rock with “One Big Sky” with some great blend of keyboards and guitar. In addition, there’s a choir at the chorus bringing an additional element to the song. I think if they had released this one as a single, it would have been successful in the late 1980s climate.
“Inside Me” is a progressive rocker that really rocks. I can picture in my mind Dio or Savatage playing this song. Morse’s guitar work is tops here and you get a real pronounced bass line from Billy Greer. It’s almost the hidden gem, definitely a second one. It’s back to 1970s style progressive magic on “One Man, One Heart.” That intro is mesmerising and it turns into a pretty good rock tune after. The more rock part continues with “House on Fire.” Turn the guitar up a notch and you have a pretty good metal tune. You even get a guitar solo tradeoff between Morse and Rich Williams.
The first half of the album, or side one if you had this on cassette or vinyl ends with a cool power ballad, “Once in a Lifetime.” This one ticks all the boxes of what a good power ballad should be, meaningful vocals, good power chords and a riveting guitar solo. The second half begins with what was the intended single, “Stand Beside Me.” While I can see why this song, another power ballad but more ballad than power, would be chosen to be the single, but I still stick by my belief that the single released should have been “One Big Sky.”
For me, the next couple of tracks are the best part of the album. “I Counted on Love” starts with a cool guitar solo but then goes into more power ballad but the vocals are superb. You might be thinking that three power ballads in a row might be a bit much but somehow, it works on the album. Then we get to the true hidden gem of the album, “The Preacher.” It comes in with a uplifting neo metal vibe and carries on. While I won’t call it a headbanger but you can’t help bobbing along to the beat. The backing vocals are brilliant, especially with the choir assisting but the power chords and guitar solo just take this song to another level. This one is Kansas’s most rocking song since the legendary “Carry On My Wayward Son.”
If you want to go into more traditional progressive rock that tells a story, then “Rainmaker” is the song. It sounds like it could have been sung in a play but I love it on the album. It’s a definite return to the progressive rock which made Kansas a household name a decade earlier. Following a rather intriguing acoustic instrumental, the album closes with “Bells of St. James.” This is another song which could have been on a metal concept album. Another one which could have been performed by Dio. Actually, I think Ronnie would have nailed it but Kansas do the job perfectly themselves. The hard guitars and the harmonizing at the chorus with the backing sound effects all pitch in to make the song cool.
Track Listing:
Ghosts
One Big Sky
Inside of Me
One Man, One Heart
House on Fire
Once in a Lifetime
Stand Beside Me
I Counted On Love
The Preacher
Rainmaker
T.O. Witcher
Bells of St. James
Kansas
Steve Walsh- keyboards, lead vocals
Steve Morse- guitar, vocals
Rich Williams- guitar
Billy Greer- bass, vocals
Phil Ehart- drums
Additional Musicians:
Steve Croes- synclavier
Terry Brock- background vocals on track 4
John Pierce- fretless bass, track 7
Bob Ezrin- percussion, backing vocals
Reverend James Cleveland and the Southern California Choir- backing vocals on tracks, 2, 9 and 10
When listening to “In the Sprit of Things,” the question which comes to mind is: What were people thinking back in 1988? How could such a great album go by with little attention? I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of responses from people saying they have this album and how great it is. At least I hope so.
Next post: Honeymoon Suite- Racing After Midnight
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
As my normal break in the action between the years and influenced by 2Loud, I thought I would do another “Original Vs. Cover” post. Today, I picked the song “Ohio” originally written by the band Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. The song was written in 1971 in protest to the shooting which took place at Kent State University in Ohio in 1970, which left four students dead.
When CSNY released the song, it was a clear reflection of the anger which was dividing America at the time. The Vietnam War was still going and Americans were dying in what is still considered a very questionable war. This anger is vehemently expressed through the lyrics and the passion of the vocals. The guitar licks augment this making the song’s message even more powerful. Even more than half a century later, those lyrics and the power behind the music give off strong emotions no matter how you feel politically. It’s one song which, for me, has definitely stood the test of time.
Hannah Wicklund in Bristol, England (October 2019)
The cover comes via Hannah Wicklund and the Steppin’ Stones, another 80smetalman discovery I have been plugging on here. Her version of “Ohio” didn’t appear on her album which I gushed over four years ago but when I saw her live in October, 2019, she played it and it was completely mind-blowing. I have always said that Hannah is a great guitarist and she shows it here. To steal a tired phrase from “X Factor,” she totally makes the song her own by simply totally rocking it out.
My Verdict: I’m going to take the easy way out and call it a tie. Which version of “Ohio” I like to listen to depends on my motivation for listening. If I want to chill and be absorbed in the lyrics or be politically motivated, then I will listen to the CSNY original. The lyrics are meant to be thought provoking and they do that to me. However, if I fancy a good rock out with some fantastic blues style guitar work, then I will pull out Hannah’s cover. Not a criticism but I don’t feel the message behind the lyrics in her version but that’s down to the great guitar work. Plus, if what I hear is true and history isn’t being properly taught in America, then she probably wouldn’t have appreciated the message CSNY were sending fifty years earlier.
Next post: TBA
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@80smetalman
You know what? The more I reflect back on the music of the 1980s, the more I am convinced of the similarities in the careers of Aerosmith and Alice Cooper. Both were 1970s icons with great albums. Then by the end of the decade and into the early 1980s, they were both nearly destroyed by the excesses enjoyed by many great rock and roll musicians. Aerosmith had become druggies dabbling in music Alice describes the early 1980s as his ‘drunk period.’ Then in the middle of the decade both dried up enough to cut albums which got them back on the rock map. Aerosmith released “Done With Mirrors” and Alice gave us “Constrictor.” But in 1987, both came out with defining albums which stamped their comeback as the real deal. I have already covered Aerosmith’s “Permanent Vacation” and Alice hit us all with this album, “Raise Your Fist and Yell.”
Alice tells us all to “raise our fists and yell” with the opening track and my favourite on the album, “Freedom.” The song is a totally undisguised dig at the PMRC when Alice says, “You want to rule us with an iron hand, change the lyrics and become big brother. This ain’t Russia! You’re not my dad or mother.” Whenever I hear the song, I want to raise my fist and yell. It also helps that with the exception of a new drummer, Alice keeps the same band he had from the last album.
New drummer Ken K. Mary introduces himself with a thundering drumroll on the second track, “Lock Me Up.” That’s followed by spoken word from Freddy Kruger actor Robert Englund accusing Alice of mass mental cruelty. As always with Alice, his sense of humour comes through here when he sings that he’s a criminal and if you don’t like it you can lock him up. Not me, Alice, not me. Guitarist Kane Roberts takes his turn to shine on “Give the Radio Back” as he solos his way all throughout the song. The lyrics have me thinking here. Did someone take Alice’s radio and he wants it back or is he singing out against how crap commercial radio had become by then? Yes, commercial radio did suck back then.
Was Alice at a thrash gig when he came up with “Step on You?” He does sing about sharpening his spikes and strapping up his boots. Anyway, on this track, it’s bassist Kip Winger’s turn to shine as the bass line here is just outstanding. The drumming and guitar get an assist though. More Alice humour closes out side one with “Not That Kind of Love.” He doesn’t favour romantic love on this one but wants to get down and dirty. If there is any song that would have riled the PMRC on this album, it would have definitely been this one. Once again, the band is really tight here.
Side two of the album has a death related theme starting out with my vote for hidden gem, “Prince of Darkness.” This is a song which takes me back to his shock, horror rock days of the 1970s. This is a great metal track with some great changes and no one can make this sound this good like Alice does. The eerie acoustic part at the tail end says it all.
Some great guitar work backs up Alice telling us that it’s time to kill. He’s going to take his fist and make them understand is augmented with some more magnificent guitar work from Kane, possibly his best solo on the album. Once he realizes he only has time to kill, Alice tells us how he’s going to do it with “Chop Chop Chop.” There is some great musicianship all around on this one. I love the intro. Afterwards, we get to know who his victim is, it’s “Gail.” The knife wound on her chest and her blood served time in its skeletal jail lets us know in this slow acoustic ballad. At the end of the album, we learn that Alice loves what he has done because he tells us that blood drops look like roses on white lace. It’s a great closer and with more great metal musicianship, (it’s almost a speed metal song), you definitely don’t forget this album.
Track Listing:
Freedom
Lock Me Up
Give the Radio Back
Step On You
Not That Kind of Love
Prince of Darkness
Time to Kill
Chop Chop Chop
Gail
Roses on White Lace
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper- lead vocals
Kane Roberts- guitar, backing vocals
Kip Winger- bass, backing vocals, keyboards on “Gail”
Paul Taylor- keyboards
Ken K. Mary- drums
Robert Englund- Freddy Kruger on “Lock Me Up”
For all the similarities between Alice Cooper and Aerosmith, there will be one difference. Aerosmith will go onto make a greater album in 1989 with “Pump.” As for Alice and I have already put up the screen to defend against all the rotten vegetables about to be thrown at me, I prefer “Raise Your Fist and Yell” to his next album, “Trash.” Nothing wrong with “Trash,” I know I’ll sing its praises when I get to1989, but “Raise Your Fist and Yell” will be my favourite 80s Alice Cooper album. It could be down to the fact that I finally got to see him live on tour for the album but who’s to say? I just love this album.
Next post: Helix- Wild in the Streets
To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
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